A group of Roman Catholics have marched to St Peter’s Square in the Vatican to call for women to be ordained as priests. Police asked them to leave as they peacefully handed out flyers to passers-by.

While some Roman Catholic leaders are truly penitent, says Savi Hensman, some have dug the church into an even deeper hole by their attempts to shift blame on to others. A more careful assessment is needed of claims and counter-claims.

The Vatican has launched an extraordinary attack on the world's media, blaming reporters for the scandal over the Catholic Church's deepening and severe child abuse crisis.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has issued a decree in Moscow on the establishment of full diplomatic relations with the Holy See following a meeting at the Vatican with Pope Benedict XVI. Since 1990 there have been partial relations.